Better in a Powerfully Dark Way
by RogueTwister
Summary: Vallari lived in the shadows. Now, she was about to become one with the help of a God.
1. Stranger

Warning: Some description of gruesome drawings and some language. If your squeamish, just a precaution.

* * *

She lived in the shadows of everything. Her school, her parents, even in her bedroom, hell, even her bed was angled against the wall and behind the desk to create a corner of black. Pitch black.

Her thin figure and red hair earned her the nicknames 'red-haired hag', 'red-ass stick', and the usual nonsense. But to be honest, she was stronger than all of them, for the never-ending comments did not stop, no matter how many cheesy, heartfelt videos claimed they would. A part of her almost felt addicted to the rude, snarky remarks because it fueled her hatred and inner strength; what didn't kill you made you stronger.

She wished nothing more than their pain; they were all delinquents. Everyday she went home to do the only thing she wished to spend the rest of her life doing: drawing the most grueling pictures of her foes suffering. Strung all around her room were black and white pictures of disturbingly-detailed pictures of boys and girls her age drowning, being burned alive, chopped to pieces, and hung by the neck with rusty, barbed wire. The painful images had only one thing in common: each pair of the victims' eyes were soaked to the max with fear.

* * *

This misunderstood ghost lived in his own shadow cast by anger, frustration and loneliness. It followed him everywhere, even in his underground sanctuary it cast over him less, but nonetheless, was still present.

He hated happiness that people and children found in the cracks of life; their smiling faces and pathetic laughter and childish manner disgusted him greatly. The broken king was recollecting his own pieces, beginning to search for an ally of some sort. He would never admit that he could not face the guardians alone, even with an army, but that certainly did not shout 'give up'. No, he was a god of fear and powerful harmful skills, such as mental torture.

All the more reason to double his power by finding an ally as cold-hearted as his own. Not a minute after deciding this did a single light on his empty-looking globe blink to life.

'How odd,' the figure thought.

* * *

Snow. It reminded her of death. When things burned and no longer had anything left to take away, it turned white as snow, submitting itself completely to the chalky hands of the reaper. Her own skin was close enough to white, but with no freckles. Somehow, she was sure that was a sign.

Most kids her age thought of winter break as the best thing in the world. She did too, but for different reason entirely. Peace and quiet from a three-story building full of unintelligent slaves was a treat indeed; she would finally have three weeks to herself, not caring about anything, not that she did in the first place.

Walking through her empty, grey house back to her room from the fridge with a can of soda in her right hand, she sat at her desk. With careful timing and a perfect blend of precision, Vallari had yet another stark black and white image laying upon her ebony desk. The picture shown another blonde-haired, manicured, "in" girl being gouged to death by zombies that had painted nails of flowers and sunshine on them. Holding the masterpiece up, Valleri smirked and pinned it on her doorway, seeing as the lack of wall space was taken up greatly with other "Mona Lisas".

A door slammed.

Pausing, Valleri pricked her ears like a cat, listening for any sounds of life in her household. Briskly sighing with annoyance, she padded around the upper level, keeping her ears open, eyes searching for any movement whatsoever; she was a predator, hunting for intruders. After several minutes of stalking around the house, she decided it was nothing, and therefore trudged back to her daunting room.

Just as she was walking down the hallway, a shadow gracefully danced along the white wall to her right; it almost looked like a person. Stopping in her tracks, she whipped around faster than any living creature on Earth. Once again, her hunting instincts kicked in; her thin body was still and her senses were soaking in every possible sound in the house. She heard the light tapping of snow on the roof, the birds' tweet every so often, the distant sound of cars screeching and hopefully getting into a crash, and the wind whistling near her window.

Once again, turning back to face the end of the narrow hallway, she growled angrily, cursing herself for going insane. Yanking her door open and slamming it shut, she plopped down at her desk once again.

She was not afraid of anything. Noises in the house were obviously not uncommon, and Vallari was not scared of the dark. Or the night, of the boogeyman, or any other old wives' tale the morons of the world came up with. She was immune to all of that.

But not amazement.

* * *

'_Strange..this usually works,'_ the dark individual thought, confused. He had done all of the normal scare-effects in the girl's house. The slamming of an unknown source and the anonymous shadow cast across a bleached wall. What was he doing wrong?

Maybe he should just get this over with.

* * *

Not ten seconds passed when he appeared.

_Tap, tap, tap_, there was the crystal clear sound of something hitting the wall behind her. Rolling her eyes, and ignoring it, she continued with her drawing.

The sound did not stop, however, and it grew impatiently into an obnoxious rapping sound, as if someone was furiously knocking on it.

"Urgh!" Valleri exclaimed profoundly as she shoved herself away from the desk and art, stomped over to the transparent square. Peering outside of it with her face a few inches away from the glass, she narrowed her eyes at the ugly, bleached-out nature that lay outside.

BAM!

An ugly, black, rotting face with sharp, yellow teeth flashed right in front of her nose for only a second, then disappeared. Vallari stumbled back, the adrenaline quickly fading away.

"Whoa.." amazed, she walked towards it again, repeating what she was doing again, trying to make the intriguing face come back. It didn't.

* * *

"Well this is...peculiar...does this child not know fear?" Pitch though aloud, but the girl did not hear him, for she was too busy looking out the window once again. He assumed she was trying to make it happen again, or was too daft to understand fearful images. He supposed it was the former, considering her personalty and lovely sketches.

Time to party.

* * *

"Who are you?" I heard a dangerously slick voice behind me. When I turned around, I could tell why his voice sounded so.

This man was wearing a long, intricately sewn cloak that draped over his shoulders down to his feet that were obscured by the piece of clothing. His hands were set behind his back in an appearance of power and authority, and his black hair was pulled back so tight, it almost looked painful. He was tall, at least six an a half feet, and his pale face reminded me of snow. He wore a strong scowl that matched his sharp cheek bones and long, pointed chin that stretched over a tight jaw. His eyes bore a penetrating, deep look of odium, and his pupils were a dull, chartreuse shade.

He looked like a God of darkness.

"I might ask you the same thing," was my bitter response. This man must have been pretty damn quiet, for I had better hearing than most people, and...my door was shut. Something told me he was not exactly human.

"I asked you first, so you answer to _me._" His teeth were uneven and a cross between dull and razor-sharp. I couldn't decide which.

"Really? And why should I do that? You're in _my _house genius." My retort was sharper than I had planned.

" But you are within my mercy. I could kill you right now, but that is not what I came here for." His eyes became hard, and his muscles contracted as I could tell his hands tightened.

Could this joke really kill me? Maybe. H*9+e would be doing me a favor if he did.

"Go ahead. My life sucks shit anyways." My voice was strong, which to anyone would have made them cringe, and start rambling on how "life goes on" and all those other dopey speeches about life-changing experiences.

Not today.

The man paused before answering, clearly studying me like a specimen. I saw a strange curiosity in his eyes that made me wonder what the hell this creep was doing in my room...and what he wanted.

"If I offered you a chance to make your life better, would you accept it?" He leaned forward vaguely, eyes boring into my skull.

"That depends on what kind of offer you are proposing."

A sly smile spread across his face, and he unlatched his hands to reveal something.

His white palm facing upwards, a small, glossy, black pencil formed out of a dust-like substance.

"Show me what you would do with this."


	2. The beginning of the End

The sleek drawing utensil called to her like a drug people could not unlatch themselves to.

"Do you want me to draw something or use it as a weapon?" Vallari inquired with a high eyebrow.

"If you found this on your desk, what would you do with it upon picking it up?" This man handed the tool to her. When she took it, she felt the coolness of it on her palm. As she gripped it, the coolness did not leave, but remained as if she were holding an unmelting icecube.

Valleri walked over to her desk, wary of the figure watching her, and took out a peice of paper. She concentrated, trying extremely hard to ignore the daunting man behind her stepping just a little closer.

With accuracy no one could have ever possessed but her, she had a careful drawing of the man and one of her classmates. The man was holding the pencil, using it as a knife and stabbing her classmate in the eye, the pencil embedded into the skull. The man was smiling and looking down upon the person with a horrid smile that shown satisfaction and supirority.

After she put the pencil down, the individual picked up the drawing and examined it, his harsh eyes scanning the picture.

"Perfect."

Turning to Vallari, image placed back on the desk, he stated simply, "You and I have many things in common, no heart, eternal hatred, and a life in the shadows. What if I told you that if you joined me in our conquest for the suffering of others, you would live an eternity of satisfaction in seeing others in pain, and you would have immense power that no one could match?" He questioned me, speaking clearly. He still wore a scowl, but it was a little less harsh.

"Then I would tell you that it sounds like my kind of thing." Vallari answered, a small smile stretching across her sharp face. She couldn't remember the last time she had done so in pure intrigue and joy.

"My name is Pitch Black, but you might have heard of me as the 'boogeyman'. You, as of now are the only one that believes in me, unfortunately. However, you and I can and will change that drastically very, _very _soon." Pitch held out his hand, a white, inviting claw that Vallari was more than willing to grasp tightly, for she wanted what he did: a life of seeing others in pain, and unmatchable power.

* * *

He managed to bring her to his lair. _Without_ killing her. This was truly an accomplishment, for he was unsure as to whether he could hold it together; he thought he might have had to deal with a sassy, know-it-all teenage female that did not know respect. He was wrong.

He, Pitch Black, had an ally of his own to command, be his own personal assistant and more. He had never felt more excited in his afterlife.

After letting go of her hand, he strolled over to his globe, cloak flaring behind him. As he stood next to it, he motioned for Vallari to come over. In a brisk motion, she obeyed, eyeing the one, red light on the structure he stood by.

"This is my beacon of fear. It alerts me of who believes and is afraid of me, and where they are. Do you see that single illumination? Any guess as to who that is?" Ptich asked, a dark smile forming on his grey lips, which seemed to blend into his white face.

"Me."

"Bingo. Before we do anything though, my dear Vallari, you need a new look, for when we meet my enemies, they need to be so frightened of you that they will cower instantly." Pitch examined her clothing like it was hard to read.

Vallari raised an eyebrow, and looked at herself through a newly-formed mirror to her left, by the orb with one light. She was wearing the usual: dark jeans, tanker boots and a black windbreaker with a brown tee underneath it. It didn't match her hair, but it gave her a look of natural elgance and grace, despite her ever-present scowl on her face and body language towards people. The idea of getting an evil makeover made her smirk inwardly, and she suddenly liked her new...friend? Stranger? She was now confused to this mans' motivations.

With a wave if his stick-like arm and hands, Vallari was no more. What took her place within seconds was a combination of breath-taking and terrifying.

Her hair was dyed a deep, deep shade of black, and it shined brighter than the moon. She wore a cloak of shadows, but it was more intricate than her new partner's; there were upside-down, silver chevrons that pointed to the ground on her chest, almost like armor. Her shoulders had sharp guards that stuck outwards, and looked like they could cut someone's head off just by giving them a cold shoulder, and her arms had long, black sleeves that grazed her knuckles and wrapped around her palm. Like a tunic, raven feathers pointed downwards from her waist to her knees, and on the upper arm as well; her legs were simply covered in a fine, ebony fabric. Her feet were covered with long, low-heeled boots that went below the knee but over the ankle.

She looked like a goddess of cruelty and shadows. It almost looked as if she were dressed in a war-ready suit of armor, but it wasn't so. Pitch only wanted the girl to look like what she truly is: threatening and feared greatly amongst everyone.

As Vallari studied her new self in the reflection, Pitch strode behind her, he too, observing.

"Now, doesn't that look much more frightening?" His voice was a snake that slithered its' way into Vallari's mind, poking and proding it.

Vallari didn't answer, for she was too stunned; her red hair was gone, and the black gloss that replaced it made her skin look even whiter than before. This was, in her opinion, wicked.

She turned around to her new...ally.

"What is it that you do, exactly? You don't just, like, sneak up behind kids and scare them for fun, right?"

The man had a discouraging look plastered on his face.

"No. That is pathetic, and childish. We travel around the globe, spreading fear to each and every house and child we intrude upon, smash a few dreams here and there, bring down the guardians, and rule the world when they are obliterated!" He almost sounded like a maniac. Vallari's face was unchanging, but if you looked closely, her eyes shown a magnificent gleam that portrayed her excitement in becoming powerful in a very, very dark method. But...

"What's a guardian?"

And so Pitch, while he glided to the globe, gave a very breif explanation and summary of their existence and duty, despise lurking deeply in every word. He was sure to mention Jack, the newest guardian, and Vallari did not need to ask if he disliked him the most; the bile nestled deeply into his grumbles said it all.

"Huh. Sounds to me like their a bunch of-"

"Stupid, too-happy, dopey, too-good, blithering, idiotic, and unfeared group of cowards?!" Pitch raged, smashing his globe, a new dent in the North pole now seated at the top.

"Not quite the words I was thinking." Vallari ran a hand over North America, standing by Pitch's right side. He was breathing heavily, staring out in the distance, thought expressed in his ever-burning eyes.

"I was thinking more along the lines of unchallenged misfits. Why do you hate them so much? And if you have so much power, why can't you just kill them off now?" Vallari was attempting to ask casually, with not threat of question of her new half-master. She didn't consider him a true "master" per sei, but she did want to show that she was fit for his errands. She wanted people to know her; she wanted people, kids and adults alike to bow down to her and be afraid of her very presence. She was tired of being invisible.

The boogeyman stood up straighter, walking away from Vallari slightly, his back to her.

His lair was silent, with an occasionaly creak of the hanging cages and dripping of stalagmites and stalagtites here and there. It added to the eerieness of it all, and she did not have to strain to hear his voice. At all. She could actually swear she saw a shadow moving in the shape of a creature here and there, but dismissed it.

"I was king before; during the Dark Ages, I reigned powerfully. With a twitch of my finger, shadows did regular patrols of the entire planet. I was seen, and when my eyes met my helpless victims, they shrank back in fright. No suprise of course, my title is obvious as to what I am, Pitch Black. I was a deadly wraith that had tipped the balance of evil and authority to my side, and it felt so delicious. My whole body felt so strong that I felt I could venture out to other worlds...but that all changed after the height of my supremacy." The misunderstood figure sadly bent his head down slightly upon his last words.

Turning around slowly, Vallari did not feel panic rising in her chest as his peircing words rapidly grew in detest and abhorration.

"The damned Man in the Moon created North, the imbecile that brought joy and happiness," he feigned happiness with swirling, wimpish hand motions, " to the children that had once dreaded me. Soon, my weakness began; it became a battle of mere survival. As I grew steadily vulnerable, I could not project my dusk and gloom into anyone's minds or souls. When no one believes in me, I can only observe their lives and pitiful dreams. Soon, the arrogant Easter Bunny, Sandman, and Tooth Fairy were born, which only served as a boot to squash me completely. For a while, I could not even leave my lair underground, which is where we stand. I was a pitiful being, if that at all." The daunting man stepped closer to the girl, eyes now peering down, upon her slightly shorter build.

He continued, "But now, I finally have someone who believes in me and is just like me, she can help me become who I was before and more, and she can become a Goddess. Our first step? Pay our beloved guardians a visit." He smirked grimly, but masked was pure joy and an itch to finally be himself, once more a God.

Vallari smiled. Oh yes, this was her thing indeed.

* * *

Vallari did not ask for permission to join her partner; she had no parents. They died a very long time ago when she was little. Her grandma as well as her brother, Isaac. One morning, her father was shoveling the thick snow outside. He slipped, and fell, unconcious. He never regained it; being in ten degree weather without moving for more than a few hours, ( her mother and her expected him to be out for a while, their driveway and property was large ) was deadly. Her mother's screams echoed through the chill wind that grazed her husbands blue lips and lifeless eyes. Consequently, Vallari was blamed for the accident; her mother was always hinting that she should have checked on him. So, they grew apart quickly, ignoring each other more and more, never being within four feet of each other.

Vallari blamed Jack Frost, now that she had heard about him and his abilities. If it wasn't for him and his rediculous ice habit that made millions of people die every year, none of this would have happened. Indeed, she did not mind this power, but maybe her life would have taken a different turn than one of magical beings and nightmares. If that little, pathetic, weeping and lost child didn't ever have to get himself killed, than none of this would have happened; her father still might have been alive.

She made an oath; she would have her revenge on Jack Frost, even after his broken body is tormented to the max by Pitch, she would cause him more pain than anyone could have ever done to him before. This was her fate.

* * *

Pitch's plan was simple: sneak into the workshop, cause it collapse, kill every living thing inside of it, and then leave to observe his work. It was getting close to Christmas; the old man would have to find a miracle to get things going after he was done. But first, a way to get all of the guardians in the building, to increase the chance of them getting injured as well.

Square one: use his new ally to construct nightmarens, and have her send them to give a light attack on North's precious home.

* * *

Nightmarens. The sand-like apparitions of Pitch. Vallari stood next to him by a stone pillar and stairway, and he was showing her how to develop her own creatures of darkness.

"Hold out your arm, and hold still." She did.

Grasping her wrist tightly, he blinked, and something moved down his shoulders, arms, and onto hers. Not moving a single inch, her heart skipped a few beats, wondering what he was doing to her.

The shadows slithered it's way up her arm like tentacles, and grasped her neck and squeezed her torso. It began choking her a little, making her panic and jerk back in alarm. Pitch let go, and smiled.

She wasn't suffocating; her heart stopped beating, and her skin held no more warmth. A strange, coldness engulfed her like wave of relief would, and she felt powerful. She felt like she could fly and break things with a simle touch. The black band around her neck disappeared, and the sand swirled around her fingers. With a smile, she willed a small knife to appear in her palm. Immediately, one did, in a dust-like structure, and it looked sharper than ever.

Chuckling with astonishment, she asked, a crystal in her eyes, "Is this how you always feel?"

Pitch's smile couldn't have been happier...or darker when he answered, " Yes. But it could be something so much more if we conquered the world. You had a cold heart when I found you, Vallari. Now, you don't have one at all. Just, " he stepped closer, "like," closer, "_me._" He looked down upon her in not only authority, but also as an equal in experience of loneliness and greediness.

They were powerful, and nothing could come in between their ambitions.

At least not without major difficulty.


	3. Changes and Effect

"A few rules. You are to obey _me _and me only. Those pathetic guardians will test your loyalty to me with their ridiculous words of pity; do not give in to them. You belong to me now." His words wrapped around me like a tight, steel coil. However, it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Agreed. Might I ask what my first task should be?" I tested warily, choosing my words; their weight had to be balanced perfectly. Luckily, I was born with at least something of a speedy mind. Setting this guy off was a death penalty.

"You must come with me to the North Pole. I have a way of getting into ones' mind, but with you, it works both ways;not only can we communicate with each other easily, we can both attack others' intellectually. Because hardly anyone believes in us, it will take more effort, but that will change soon. When more of the population witnesses our power, never will we have to hide in the shadows again; we will _be _the shadows." The haunted man replied tersely, and he walked past me and stood on a raised piece of concrete. He beckoned me over with a thin hand.

Ignoring the shuffling of my new outfit, I strode by his side.

"Stick to the shadows by simply pretending you are invisible to everyone. That shouldn't be too hard for you." He said firmly. Resting a hand on my shoulder, we were precipitately zooming through the air as the world bent and stretched at our will. I was flung through the icy air and through darkness before we suddenly arrived at a worn-down looking workshop, about a half-mile out in front of it.

"The plan is that I will intimidate North with a show of some degree. It will be short, but you must stick around because it will take a few moments to regain my composition. Once the fool North calls his fellow allies, we will strike. Understood?"

"Of course."

"Excellent."

Pitch's lower body turned to dust, and he hovered into the air, moving rapidly towards the glowing structure beyond. I imagined doing the same, trying to feel like I didn't have legs. Moving behind him, I was silent. He suddenly disappeared as we approached the front entrance. There were two yetis standing next to it. He must have teleported or something in there. Thinking quickly, I veered to the right to peer inside a window. The lightly falling snow was making it slightly difficult to see, but I could make out a shadow moving around a globe similar to Pitch's only this one had the ocean and more lights flickering on it. I didn't know how to make myself appear in places as fast as my new cohort, so I tried simply moving through the window while remaining "invisible".

That didn't work. Exhaling in frustration and slight anxiety ( if my ass wasn't in there when Pitch required me, I was a fried bird ), so I closed my eyes and thought myself airless, _thinner_ than air, floating through everything and that I was nothing but darkness that hid in the corners, like the one in my old bedroom.

Instantly, when I opened my eyes, I was standing across Pitch, behind this man with a red coat I supposed was North, the imitation of Santa Clause. He was staring in astonishment at the Boogeyman's display.

He could not see me, but Pitch could, I could tell from his hissing inside my head.

"Well done. You learn quickly. Stay hidden, do not make your move until I say." He didn't glance at me at all while he was lecturing the man.

His ebony sand was swirling all over the ground, the walls, and had blanketed the orb he was floating in front of. He wasn't entirely there, but more like a silhouette standing upon a nest of black tentacles that reached out and latched onto everything, almost like a parasite. In a massive explosion his sand burst into shards that pointed all directions. Instinctively, I nearly ducked and ran away, but I swiftly realized they would not touch nor hurt me.

Duh.

"While North calls the guardians, I will explain to you how this is going to work." I didn't see my mentor any longer, I supposed he was regaining his pieces in a corner of something. While I waited and confirmed his words, I watched the red coat do something with the console in front of the globe. He moved his arms in a strange motion and soon, there was a loud humming noise, and brilliant lights were shot into the sky.

Just like the Northern Lights.

At first, he stood still, watching the rotating orb and listening. I moved just a little closer and realized he wasn't simply standing there; he was observing the world and the small lights upon it.

Many of them went out, and each second, a few more with the last burnt out like light bulb. Pitch's work no doubt.

The Santa twitched, and I realized he had swords on his belt.

How strange.

Then, swarming noises came from the left of the man, and loud footsteps a few humming commotions. I looked at the hallways that fed into the area, and in front of the fireplace I had first appeared in front of near the window.

A large, tall, grey rabbit thing came hopping into the place, shivering. He was followed by a female bird...thing. She was bright green and had sparkling violet eyes that made all of her blue and turquoise feathers stand out, especially a bright, yellow one that stood from her forehead, and pointed all the way out to her buzzing wings. She was surrounded by miniature bird-looking things that squeaked with excitement. I found it quite annoying.

If any of this could get any stranger, a boy with dazzling white hair floated in. He was carrying a twisted staff, and was laughing at the rabbit, who was slurring a string of curses, standing by the fire and nearly sticking both of his feet into the flames.

Just when I was about to lose my focus of being unseen, a golden hot air balloon landed right in the middle of the entire floor, in between the globe and the fire. A small, petite man emerged that looked like someone made him out of sand and glitter. His transportation disappeared, and all of the "guardians' began chatting like crazy, erupting into puzzled questions and worried looks of astonishment.

They really were misfits; all of them seemed dysfunctional and inoperative. They may have been a team, but somehow, I couldn't see their power at all.

"Look at them. They are puzzled as to why we are back, well, why _I _am back. Soon, they will know of your presence as well, and recognize the danger everyone will be in." The Boogeyman's words matched my thoughts almost exactly. This was going to be fun.

* * *

"It hasn't been even four centuries and you are calling us back again?!" Bunnymund exclaimed, turning to his best friend, away from the fire.

"Please, I understand. Just be thankful it isn't right in the season of Easter or Christmas." North replied, an apologetic look on his face.

"Well, spill. What's goin' on in the house of toys and cookies?" Jack asked, staff twirling in his hands. Him, Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny were all standing in a row in front of North, expectant looks on each of their faces.

"I have some disappointing and very strange news. Pitch is back." His voiced dropped with dread and level of seriousness increased in an instant. Everyone froze. Tooth spoke first.

"How? Wha-how-that doesn't even make sense?! We defeated him, proved he could never come back again, and he shrank back in his hole of dispair! This cannot be happening!" She spoke fast, but in all of the years that everyone had grown to know her, they learned to build a better ear.

"Let me guess: you felt it in your belly, mate?" Bunnymund inquired, stepping forward, a smirk on his face.

"Yes, but this is no joke. He seemed stronger somehow. He...agck...too hard to explain. Jack?" North turned to the teenage spirit of winter. He perked his ears and answered, "Yeah?"

"You helped defeat him last time, no? What do you say we do it again?"

"With pleasure." Everyone thought this was just a chore; now that Jack knew who he was and what he could do, everything was going to be easier, right? Thank's to Jamie's ever-believing spirit, they would always be around. As long as he and the children were present, everything was fine. Pitch didn't stand a chance alone.

But he wasn't alone this time.

Sandy made an image of stairs and an arrow pointing to the bottom one as a question. What was the first step?

"Good question. Tooth, you have to remain at you warren, and each our own. If one of us is attacked, we-"

His sentence was cut short. The fire was snuffed out, the red atmosphere dimmed, and the lights went out, draping everything into darkness. The guardians threw puzzled questions into the air.

Sandy was glowing naturally, so the others drew to him, a beacon of light.

"What's happening?!" Bunny shouted. There was aloud moaning sound coming from the ceiling opening where the moon could show it's beams of white light onto the ground. It opened with a creak, and a single strand of light streamed in, illuminating the last person on Earth anyone wanted to see: Pitch Black.

The lights did not come back on, so Sandy made his own lamps that made the room glow just enough to see the floor. Jack raised his staff, North his swords, and Bunnymund his boomerangs. Tooth hovered in a fighting position, her fairies at her side.

"Ha...how pathetic. Such a group of sad little people." The Boogeyman could just taste the darkness that surrounded him. He did not need his horses this time.

"Look who's talking!" Jack shouted back. He got ready to blast him from where he stood.

"Why are you here Pitch? Last time you tried this, you were not much of a fight!" North exclaimed loudly, stalking closer and closer to his nemesis.

"Ah what arrogance. I should think you being at near death showed what a battle it truly was. Stop lying you fool. You were all near non-existence, stop pretending." His hatred-filled jabs were dripping with loathing for all of them.

"Ha! What has gotten into you? We already proved that as long as one child still believed in us, you were powerless. Jamie will never stop or the other children; we were dancing in front of their eyes and-" Jack started.

"Oh stick you tongue on a pole, ice-brain. This is getting boring, what say you we spice things up a bit?" He smiled, and the figures could barely make out the black sand that grasping their ankles. They could not move now.

"Say hello to my friends. I do hope you enjoy their company, guardians." With that, he shrunk into the shadows, and left them with his "friends".

Out of the blackness came stalking tigers with sharp teeth, black beads for eyes, snakes, swarms of moths, and more ugly creatures. One looked like a snake and somehow an eagle at the same time. This was not going to be fun.

* * *

"Oh this is fun. You have a very interesting imagination, Vallari." Pitch remarked, watching the icons fight off the nightmarens with difficulty of not being able to move. Vallari smirked, and asked, "Now what? Is is not prudent to start making children fear us while they are busy?"

"Indeed, that may be wise. However, I was thinking of just leaving them to fight forever while you did that for me. Soon, they will get tired, then I will pin them down, make the building collapse, and leave them to die."

Vallari's "companion" turned to her. After instructing her on what to do, she nodded, and zoomed towards her first target town: Burgess.

* * *

As I landed softly onto the cold concrete, I observed my area of interest. The quiet and stillness of the town was in sharp contrast to I had left behind; the fighting and shouts of the guardians, I swear, could probably be heard from a mile away.

Floating towards the first house of my choice, I slid past the window to the sleeping child. He was curled up into a ball, clutching a small polar bear. A small, glowing yellow dragon was circling around his head. The boy smiled happily, his dimples making small dents into his freckled cheeks.

I was actually disgusted. This was just sick and why take joy in something that can never exist?

Stepping forward with silence and grace of a cat, I took a small, glossy black knife and stabbed it in the back firmly. Smirking, I watched the virus of fear spread on the flying creature as it slowed it's circles, and grew another head, sharper talons, and an uglier proportion altogether, snarling and drooling acid. The small boys' whimpers were all that remained as I left, leaving my little creature to do it's work.

More children were soon infected with my cure, and to be honest, I was enjoying it. All of their cries of fright fueled me like gasoline to a wildfire; each touch of blackness felt like releasing a weight that was always with you. I gladly intruded each home with one motivation: smash the dream, install the fright and dust, then leave feeling satisfied as each child cowered when his or her dream turned into a horrid nightmare that would scar them for a very, very long time.

I finally reached Jaimie, a boy Pitch told me about earlier that aided Jack Frost. He was as good as dead to me, both of them.

Striding to Jaimie's transparent rectangle, I let myself in, a dark smile spreading on my face like whipped cream.

"Oh, what a precious little dancing snowflake and candy cane...mind if I join in on the festival?" I snarled, and I gingerly touched the golden sand that flourished above the child's' head.

The once-shining snowflake melted in a rage of ebony flames and was reduced to a puddle of acid. The candy cane jumped into it, and began to die, making inaudible screeching noises as it flailed it's arms and legs in a vain attempt to get out of the liquid. The acid puddle simply laughed, and Jaimie began tossing and turning, eyes scrunched up in pain.

Mental pain.

I beamed and left yet another pitiful house. 'What made this boy so special?' I pondered aloud, my graceful self floating back to the cold sidewalk.

Snow was falling weakly, and the air was not as crisp as it had been when I first arrived in the the town of Burgess. I knew what must be happening in the workshop back at the North Pole. Pitch must be winning because there was no sign of the guardians stopping me; they didn't even know about me. Being invisible had its advantages..._great _advantages.

I readied myself to teleport back to report to my...master? What was Pitch? This thought hit me like a rock in the chest. He didn't necessarily have the aspect of fear on me; I wasn't afraid of him at all. I saw him as more of a mentor of some sort, I guess? He saw me as an equal because we had gone through relatively the same "tough past", stereotypical lifestyle. As cheesy as it might have sounded, it was true; we lacked sympathy, heart, mercy, or anything warm that made humans or the guardians weak. We were invincible and had immense power, and this was just our beginning.

* * *

'This is almost comical as it is sad.' I thought bitterly, watching the puny guardians give all their might into smashing my shadowy slaves. I was in the shadows, observing each of their techniques. The stupid dimwitted bunny relied too much on his feet often for escaping, so I could tell without his boomerangs or bombs, he would be an easy target. The fairy too relied too much on her way of moving, her wings would have to go someday. She did not have many weapons, but her movements were fast, which meant her fists were thrown rapidly. North of course was nothing without his swords, and Jack without his staff. The memory of me breaking his toy bounced in my head. How he managed to put the damn thing back together was beyond me, but I had a different plan. Vallari was much younger than me, and had a much fresher imagination.

A much darker imagination.

I would consult with her later when she returned to me. She should be done anytime now.

As I stood there watching the fighters strike, I began to get bored. If I was going to make this building collapse, it would have to be now before-

POOF. A huge whirlwind of sand exploded everywhere, making a big bang effect within a second. The dark creatures disappeared, and I stared at them with astonishment.

Sandy was more powerful than I thought, but he wouldn't last long.

"PITCH?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" North's shouts were covered in exhaustion, but the fury in his eyes had not diminished.

His back was towards me, and no one saw me. Unfortunately, my powers were running low. Damn. The collapse would have to wait; the attacking of the nightmarens and weakening the figures took much longer than I thought, which was probably what led to me feeling slightly queasy.

'URGH...he's gone. Is there a way you can trace that bastard?" Bunnymund panted, bending down, boomerangs in his hands once again.

"Um...the globe. Burgess..." Tooth did not have time to finish, for Jack gasped and floated up close to where I was standing, peeing at the town where I had sent Vallari. I had never felt myself smile so hard before the dark times.

The entire town held no lights; she had done her job more than well. I was beginning to like my apprentice.

* * *

I concentrated, projecting my thoughts firmly to an image of the god of shadows.

'_I'm finished. Are we ready for the next step? Are all of the lights out?_'

'_Yes. Well done, I am impressed. You show potential. I have diminished temporarily, and cannot bring down the workshop. It will have to wait, but I have a different plan. Come back to me.' _His mental connections ejected itself from my head, and I concentrated.

When I finally appeared in the North Pole, everything was quiet, and the guardians were no longer fighting, but looking around for something. I supposed it was Pitch Black.

I would have known what to do if I knew where he was.

I thought I was able to see him! What the hell?!

Searching desperately, I focused on being unseen, and glided through the air, up to the globe, gently prodding his head.

_'Where are you? I cannot see nor sense you.'_

He did not answer. Frustrated I looked around the entire place with eyes that pierced every corner. He had not died, and the guardians were too busy talking to one another while I searched the place.

Thinking he might be back at his lair, I headed there with a blink.

When I felt cold concrete under me as I stood in front of the empty globe that had a few more lights on it, I finally felt his icy breath on my neck.

" Well done, you do not lack common sense or problematic solving skills." Sleek like wine, he slithered backwards. I did not turn around.

"So how did the first attack go?"

"Not as well as I had planned, but better than nothing. They are confused as to what my motivations are, so that is good. They do not believe in my power or yours, so that is also an advantage of surprise when the times comes. I'm thinking of where we could possible introduce you officially." The shadow demon pronounced, pacing around the spherical display. His eyes were distant.

"If we have not brought down the building, than what was was the point of the attack? They will regain energy soon, should we not perform any further complications?" I inquired, staring the the blinking light of a child in Burgess.

"It was my... _subtle_ warning to them. Yes, I will admit it now seems without point, but I have another idea. We will take the battle somewhere a little less condensed and ally-filled. Those yetis cannot aid them where I am thinking of."

With that, he placed an unsympathetic hand on the glowing lights, and his sand sprouted into minuscule horses the pranced on them, in the town of Burgess.

"I remember the last time I was here. Now, we will rewrite the past, and form a new future there." His eyes burned with murky revulsion, and he focused on me.

I ran a thumb across a single feather on my tunic.

"We have a date with the guardians, Vallari. Let us not be late."


	4. Up in Smoke, the Battle Begins

Pitch and Vallari arrived in the center of Burgess. It seemed the area was popular this week.

Vallari watched her companion march to the fountain and raise his hands high into the brisk air. A large creature emerged out of his black sand, and resembled that of a war-like horse with beady ebony eyes and layering spikes for a mane. Hopping onto it, he gestured for me to do the same, but with my own transportation.

"Make sure it can fly. You're going to need altitude." His unctuous voice was full of opaque elation.

I concentrated on a something that could fly. A Pegasus was an absolute N.O, and so was a twittering blue-jay. Think fast Vallari!

Twirling my fingers, a creature of fear emerged in seconds.

It wasn't anything like Pitch had ever seen himself. It had a long, slender tail with a spiked, crushing ball on the end. It resembled a mixture of a lizard, snake, and a dragon. It's head was sleek and lacked ears like a lizard; its body was coated in scales and muscular like a dragon. It's claws were more than razor-sharp as four-inch talons surfaced that matched the keen claws at the end of the pointed, flexible wings. Finally, it's thin-pupiled eyes and venomous spit combined with a double-pronged tongue hardly made it cuddly. The malicious snarl alone could make any live animal go fleeing backwards whence it approached. It was a sleek, dangerous, obedient shadow that was Vallari's to command as she hopped on it and stroked its smooth, rippled back.

Mentally, she named it Miakoda, or 'Power of the Moon'.

"I want you to stay on a high building until I call for your aid. You will take on Jack as a surprise once I get him alone in the skies, away from the others. I will distract the guardians while you deal with him, clear?"

"Yes."

* * *

Without another word, he sailed into the air on his horse, a wave of darkness trailing him. Obeying his orders, I searched out an abode that suited my needs.

Landing on it gracefully, I stood up, straight and alert on Miakoda, waiting for the guardians to foolishly appear.

They did, and I hushed Miakoda, his muscles tensing upon smelling their fear. How did they even know we were here? They must have some sort of tracking method.

They took no notice of me, for I was several houses away, but still, I observed quietly, mentally warning Pitch that they were rapidly approaching, a sleigh launching into the frosty air.

"_I know. Keep a sharp eye for Jack's weaknesses._" Was his terse response. Not daring to say another word, I looked up at the battle that followed his words.

Sandy brought his own creatures to balance out the horses and miniature demons, and while everyone was busy with Pitch, I noticed that somehow, he was managing to get his nightmarens to push Jack away from the pack and separate him completely, his white hair slowly inching away from the others. I wanted to help my ally; he seemed to be losing swiftly, so I was not surprised to hear his melancholy voice within the next few seconds.

"NOW!" Commanding Miakoda to launch into the air like a bullet from a caliber, I made sure we were still invisible to Jack and the other guardians. His blue jacket zoomed in closer, closer, and closer until finally, the stampeding horses swirling around him rearranged out of the way to let me bash his skull. His back and head was all I saw when I slammed Miakoda into him, my apparition's snarl erupting into the black sky. When I turned around, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a golden eagle, attempting to eat the Boogeyman as a red vehicle rotated around it, carrying a yellow, shining man.

The winter spirits' small figure began nose-diving to the concrete ground, staff flying away from him.

Smiling, I tore my animal away and fled as quickly as I could to Pitch. The eagle was holding him in, as strands within the stomach was starting to eat and pick away at the black figure inside. He was mentally calling for assistance when I was halfway there. Unfortunately, I forgot about being stealthy with the invisible part.

Busting in the creature, I saw the guardians rushing towards the Earth to a tumbling Jack and stick. Sticking a sword in the golden formations' eye, I let it spread like a virus down its' neck, back, and finally the belly. Pitch fell into the air but only for a moment, recalling his horse once more to aid him in a safer landing.

"Well done. I am more than pleased, dearest Vallari." He looked down upon Jack's limp body on a house and the sleigh that was perched near him ( they had fled to Jack before they could witness who was escaping the giant bird). The guardians were surrounding the pathetic child as he did not stir. We left chiefly after a quick look at our work, and were soon back in Pitch's lair, scratches already healing.

* * *

"Jack!" Tooth laid him on the ground near the fountain where they had arrived not moments before. His hair was stained with a crimson liquid and his staff had a large, spiraling crack in it. He was not concious.

"Do something North!" Bunny's panic-stricken voice echoed through the silent night.

No need, for Jack's eyes opened, but not without difficulty. His head was currently being eaten by acid, and his back felt broken, though being a guardian, it wasn't. Simply gazing up at his allies made his brain twist in agony, and his blood boil up in pain.

"Urgghhh...what the heck?" Jack stuttered, barely making an effort to move as his arms twitched.

"Where is Pitch? I'll skin his filthy, no-good, rotten ass for-"

Sandy punched the creature's side and pointed up at the sky, a scowl painted intricately on his face.

When all of the companions followed the gesture, it illuminated two black figures, piercing through the sky, fleeing like a pair of arrows, side by side, the gilt creature seeming to never existed.

"Who is that?" Tooth voiced, confusion and darkness clouding her violet eyes.

"More importantly, _what_ is that? It's not a person...is it?" Bunnymund asked North after turning to Sandy, who gave him a shrug in an unsure answer.

"I would assume not. Pitch teaming up with some sort of associate who is on the same moral level as him? Not likely. Perhaps he has gotten more creative with his creatures." North's eyes were deeply troubled as he stared blankly at Jack, whose eyes were fluttering.

Sandman nodded his head in agreement with the rest of the guardians as they carried a now-unconscious Jack to the sleigh, preparing to head back home.

* * *

"Ha-ha! That was nothing short of enjoyable." Pitch's laughter and chimes echoed thickly through his lair of shadows, glowing eyes from the darkest corners shining with curiosity at his amusement.

Vallari did not voice anything as she watched him pace around the globe, eyes set deeper in thought once again; he was planning his next move.

"I hate to interrupt, but this one town is not feeding us much power. Why focus so much on Burgess? Is there some sort of connection I overlooked?"

The boogeyman stopped in his tracks, eyes burning, but not with hatred.

"That, is where our dear Jack died. It bothers him to see his _precious_ town so corrupted and disturbed in fear. He has a weakening soft spot for that brat of a child. Because of Jaimie, I was defeated; I should not have to remind you." His tone turned spitefuland dangerous. As he continued pacing for another moment, he stopped, and twisted his piercing gaze towards the flickering lights ( Burgess ) on the spherical structure.

"We have to expand our grasp on the children. Come, we have an army to build."

* * *

Jack was now standing fully upright, but something was different about him. There was a gash on the back of his head that could only be seen when arms-length of him. He was currently leaning on his staff, which still had the crack forcefully put upon it. He was frowning at the situation playing out in front of him.

"So let's just assume," Tooth started, as the guardians still puzzled over the new threat and how he was managing to grasp his power faster than ever as the globe already was losing more children by the hour.

"Pitch has found a way to come back on his own, and now he is just trying to do the same thing again that he attempted a few centuries ago with the same motivations." She finished, crossing her arms, unsure of her own words.

North stroked his beard, thinking while Bunnymund sat by the fire, painting an egg. He was not focusing on the food item, however.

"Sounds accurate by my standards. Sandy?" The Easter icon stated, turning towards the small Sandman, who was leaning on his own golden pole he had formed long ago.

An image of Pitch grabbing the globe with his sand appeared, then a another person with a question mark for a face came into the image, standing next to Pitch. Sandy made a questioning face as he stared at North and Tooth, glancing at Jack who saw it as well.

"We already concluded that he can't have possibly found someone to help carry out his evil intentions." Bunny protested, continuing to paint the egg with a petite brush.

Sandy's brows furrowed, and an image of the enemy mixing a pot grew. Like a clip, he stirred and stirred until out popped a horse, which then morphed into a person.

"You suggest he created a companion of some sort?"

Sandy nodded, relieved someone finally understood him for once.

"...Hmm. I guess...well...I suppose that is a liable accusation. I don't know how he could get the ally to remain permanent and by his side without abandoning " North started pacing, twirling his short-sword twitching in his left hand.

Jack blinked, and his brain started pulsing headaches. Groaning, he sat on the ground, rubbing his forehead.

"Jack? Are you okay?" Tooth zoomed to his side, concern woven upon her delicate face.

"Urgghh...I may be immortal but that blow to the head is leaving me unfocused and dizzy..."He shut his eyes tightly, then opened them again.

Bunnymund stopped painting and sent his egg scurrying underground in a rabbit hole before starting towards his friend.

"Mate, I think you should be careful these next few days; Pitch obviously still has a grudge against you, best to keep your eyes open." His voice was stern but no more than a word of advice.

Sandy walked up to the white-haired sorcerer and a thin image of eyes formed as Sandy's penetrating gaze questioned him.

"No, I didn't see him or 'it' Sandy. It was either invisible or...I don't know...really fast?" His eyes glazed over, headache fading. He was trying to remember it...a snarl in the air...sounds of slow flapping and hisses...

"Well don't think too hard; we don't need your brain to explode. Right now, we have more pressing issues." The Russian accent brought everyone to the present, and the protectors followed their leaders' gaze at the globe.

The lights were still declining in appearance.

* * *

Pitch and I were riding over the United States, sending our miniature creatures to the beds of children in every house, spreading our salutations to their minds and crushing their sanity. I will admit, some brats were more hardy, and although had nightmares, were unphased by them. Unfortunately. It was often older beings, but with more and more hallucinations and shadows in the corners of their eyes, they would come to. I actually managed to find a boy who lived near the school we rode over, and gave him a special treat; death by flies and tearing out the heart was his greatest fear, so why not give him a taste of what it might feel like? Sweet dreams.

We were unstoppable, Miakoda and I. My confederate was not smiling, as his concentration was greatly required; we were still slightly powerless, but that was going to change with a few more rounds.

"We will circle the globe once and witness the result. Afterwards, we do this over and over again until the entire planet is enslaved, understood?" His voice echoing in my head made me stiffen, but not in fear or nervousness.

"Agreed." It sounded like a sturdy plan.

With a simple wave of our hands, houses emitted whimpers of small children, toddlers hugged their precious bears and blankets but it was in vain, the golden sand was persecuted by the dark, and what was once warm and bright was now cold and dark. It felt like a drug feeding into my veins; the fright and stress flowing back to me as it bounced off of the cities to me. Miakoda did not tire, and neither did I.

However, I was bothered by the fact that we could somehow be trailed. How did the guardians find us so quickly the last time? Perhaps they thought it was common sense, seeing as how it was the only town with lights, but still...could they see us now? How long before they found us once more?

"Sir, can the protectors find us? Is it possible for them to track you or me?"

He didn't answer right away, and I began to think he was punishing me for disrupting his use of the small army we had.

"Yes and no. We are leaving a path of lights behind us on our globe, empty ones on theirs and the places we have not yet reached may be where the guardians are now; I have no doubt they are tracking us as we speak but as soon as more and more of their pathetic power decreases, it will become much harder for them to find us. Often they can sense me or, in this case you as well anyhow because of the natural cold and shadows we morph around us, but like I said, yes and no. As of now, they are probably waiting for our approach in an area we have not yet encountered."

He paused, landing near a lake somewhere in Ohio I think. We still had the left side of United Sates, but we were almost finished for the night.

But I couldn't stop thinking about how the upcoming battle might go if the misfits really were waiting for us. Was it going to be an ambush? One at a time? Was Jack unable to participate, therefore leaving them vulnerable?

"I have a guess they will try to ambush us. Feel free to let yourself be seen this round. I have no plan of attack; just do what you think they deserve. As for me, I will probably leave you to do your own thing; I have had enough battles in one day, and you need experience in an outnumbered fight, Vallari." Like a mentor, his tone was firm and harsh, but I remembered I couldn't die; I had no heart.

I also recalled all of my power, and what a simple blow to the head combined with being invisible could do to just one, tiny guardian.

* * *

Jack was waiting with the his friends in California, expecting the two demons to bring the nightmarens. The snow was falling furiously, making it hard to see, but this did not falter anyone, guardian _or_ boogeyman and apprentice.

_Pitch better come so I can pay him back for that bump on my head!_ Jack grimaced, hand tightening around his staff as he was hiding behind the tree with the red coat, a bunny, spitfire of a hummingbird and her minis.

* * *

We landed in the town within the foresty border of California, our work nearly complete. We had just sent the crawling spiders and snakes to the quiet houses of the kids once more. Pitch was getting weaker by the hour; grey sweat trickled down the side of his head when I observed him closely. His hair was becoming a little less keen, and his back hunched as he panted for a few moments before quickly regaining himself.

"I have no doubt they are here somewhere. I-"

His outspoken prediction was accurate. Out of nowhere, a white flash zipped across my line of sight, narrowly missing not only Miakoda and my noggin, but Pitchs' horses' nose. It reared it's head, whinnying and galloped into the ground where Pitch gave me a knowing look that hid his weariness as he left me.

I was ready, for I was not weary at all.

* * *

Damn! Missed. I was aiming for the dark individuals' creature and head, for I was flanking its right side; I wasn't in front of it. Pitch had disappeared but maybe we could see this mysterious thing.

North caught up, swords glinting in the moonlight, which matched Tooths' luminous feathers. Bunny was ready to go.

We had seen the shadows land in the deeper part of the forest, so we had all charged forward, rushing to encounter them. That's when I blindly aimed an ice projectile with my staff towards it and Pitch, which failed to hit either of the two.

* * *

I took the attack as a transition.

"Let's have some fun." I declared under my breath menacingly, steering Miakoda away from the hole where Pitch had fallen into and sent my transportation running and scurrying through the forest. It may not be a horse with long legs, but a lizard could be just as fast when combined with a slithering ability, using the tree trunks as rapid turning points and long endurance was always an advantage.

His wings were tucked in tightly, and I urged him over this trunk, into that tree to soar into another and onto the ground. The guardians were hot on my trail though, and I knew becoming airborne was going to make myself completely visible to them. I firmly gave a quick kick and Miakoda spat a venomous line of acid at a few tree trunks, causing them to fall behind us in hopes of stalling my foes. Every tree we grazed spewed light snow from hours before, and landed on uur shoulders and the ground.

* * *

Blizzards, this thing was fast! It looked somewhat like a reptile, its movements more like scampering rather than running like dog, but I could not make it out. I was a speedy flyer yes, but getting airborne wouldn't do anything for me; I would lose it because it kept closer to the ground rather than the treetops. Bunny was faster than me on foot and jumps, but I could manoeuvre with more agility than him because flying allowed me to not have as much momentum than he; thus stopping and turning was not as back-wrenching.

North ran just as fast as Tooth's buzzing wings and everyone else. As we were pursuing this thing, Tooth shouted, "We need to find a way to stop this chase before we get tired and lose it!"

"I know!" North retorted, but no one had any suggestions; they were thinking the same thing as me: airborne equated to losing him or her faster than ever, and flying through was only optional to me or Tooth, who could hardly even see the foe.

The problem with being in a forest at night with blustering snow made everything other object look like a moving shadow. _Not helpful..._Jack thought bitterly, aiming a few blasts at the black demon.

Abruptly a tree fell in his way, and many others as he tried a few more blows along with Bunny's boomerangs and bombs, but were still knocked away by the falling plants.

* * *

Steve heard a faint rustle in the forest near his house. It sounded like the strong winter breeze was ruffling things up in there. Steve shook his head and headed to bed, the sounds of the forest swishing keeping him awake. He found it odd that it seemed there was no wind outside, but only in the trees themselves. Brushing off the thought, he focused on getting shut-eye as he clicked off the nightstand lamp, throwing the covers over him; he had school tomorrow.

* * *

Miakoda was dying to fly, his wings were not as tightly folded now, and it was brushing against each tree we zoomed by. I knew I had to make a move fast; this was getting us nowhere. I was supposed to be getting experience in _fighting_ when outnumbered, not running around a forest outnumbered.

Tugging on the unseen reins, I commanded him to jerk upwards into the flurried air. He obeyed instantly, snapping his wings out and spiraling upwards, exhaling fog in relief, black beady eyes lustrous. This was going to get interesting.

* * *

Finally! The damned figure sailed high into the air.

But that wasn't what was the most surprising or mentally triggering my interest and anxiety as I grasped my staff even tighter.

The black shadow was not a simple horse like years ago, but playing in front of me like slow motion was...a dragon, lizard, snake thing? Mounted on the large monster was...no way, this wasn't possible.

* * *

I laughed into the air, surprised at my own warm but dark chuckle. When was the last time I actually laughed? This was fun.

Higher and higher into the air, the snow finally ceased, and I headed towards the town. But not without something to give to the infamous Jack Frost and annoying fairy.

Standing up on his back, I mentally ordered Miakoda to fly straight for I did not want to fall off. He obeyed, and I formed a spiked, grey ball in my left hand. It hissed as I hurled it at his white head and swiftly developed more, one after another flying at the two guardians. They dodged, but barely; I had a mean arm. Growling, I twirled my fingers and soon enough, spears in numbers of hundred were pointed at the closing enemies of mine.

My raven feathers were dancing furiously in the wind.

* * *

Jack gasped as the spears came zooming at him faster than he could really process mentally.

So his instinct kicked in instead. Putting up his baton, he fashioned an ice wall that sent the weapons scattering and evaporating into dust. Breathing deeply, he lost some gain on the flying girl, but quickly headed full speed at her, going ahead of now a sleigh and Tooth.

* * *

He came at me, face twisted in anger and hatred. I smiled, and sat back on Miakoda and ducked, missing Jack's oncoming blow by inches when he went zooming over our heads and past us. I chortled again as we dived, and landed on an empty road. Upon settling, I stroked Miakoda, soothing his muscles. Waiting for them all to appear at the pavement was a short wait indeed. The sleigh plopped onto the opposite end of the hard surface as Jack and the Tooth Fairy gracefully landed as well, closely followed by a hopping bunny, who must have been following the battle on foot.

It became a stare-down as I felt their gazes on me Miakoda and I like a meal that wasn't worth eating. I had gotten that look many times before.

For a moment, a copious silence loitered in the air; the only sounds were soft pants from each side of the road, and it became a silent game of who was going to strike or speak first.

"Who are you?"Was Jack's shout. We were far enough to not quite clearly see each other's specific features, but close enough to see the generic shape.

I didn't answer, but instead, molded a smoke bomb in my hand.

Instead of answering with words, they were going to get my reply in a more physical way.

* * *

I thought she might answer instantaneously , but instead, a cylinder, smoking, metallic item made it's way slowly towards us. It was too late when I realized what it was and what was going to happen next.

BAMF!

_Do what you think they deserve. _I surely would, especially to my _beloved_ Jack Frost.

* * *

'Bazingas' to my followers: ( I applaud you for your time devotion to read 'Better in a Powerfully Dark Way')

Kalaia

LoverOfRumpelstiltskin

RY0ung

SupernaturalFanatic19

acid-potato

kaia2cooler


	5. Blank Observations

Warning: Grueling imagery ahead, have a stress ball on hand.

* * *

Smoke exploded like an atomic bomb everywhere; the grey substance spreading rapidly over the road and around it. Jack gasped, ducking and covering his own face with his arms and staff, angling it diagonally in front of him. Before he could even ask if his fellow members were all right, he felt a massive, unknown force slam into his front. The result was him flying far behind the sleigh and the others as his back hit a large tree. Snow fell onto his body at the impact, and he was half buried and already nearly knocked out.

His headache returned.

After a moment of blurry vision and powerful weakness in his bones, Jack's eyes dragged upwards, despite his throbbing cranium. However, he did not have time to do that either. The black creature was on him again, and before he knew it he was once again soaring through the cold, harsh air. Head-first, he made contact with the pavement as he lay nearly unconscious.

* * *

I flung the boy to the ground where I had previously landed after our air-scrimmage; across the icy road facing the bewildered guardians. They were horrified at my swift actions, and as the Tooth Fairy witnessed Jack flying against his will, she raged with a mighty scream, or, as might as a pathetic fairy could sound. I was ready for her, though. With a fluid raise of my arm, an ebony, thick wall grew faster than the blink of an eye. Her own momentum and force was only causing harm to herself as she fell backwards and into North. As the wall evaporated, sand lifting, Bunny was closer to me than I wanted. Rolling to my right from his swinging boomerangs, I tripped him and threw an array of shining knives at his back; he was nowhere near as fast as Pitch thought, because they planted themselves into his grey, lined fur. He shouted in pain, but tried to ignore it, spinning around to try and face me again.

But his eyes betrayed him.

Yelling, he came at me once more, this time jumping over me, drawing my eyes upward. When they saw his landing, a bronze sword was thrown at my face. Ducking, head falling backwards like a limbo performance, it sped towards a car, hitting the glass and skittered to the ground near a passed-out Jack.

"You're going to have to do much better than that." I growled viciously, barely audible for them to hear. The so-called Easter prodigy shuddered as he was bent down near the sleigh next to the turquoise fairy, who was panting and rubbing her arm, wings bent in an awkward angle.

"Who are you?! I demand to know!" The red coat bellowed, his anger echoing through the neighborhood and back to me. I blinked, unanswering.

"You demand many things. My name is not one you deserve to know at your pitiful status." My tone was cool and sleek. It reminded me of Pitch, who was probably watching from a distance or in his domain.

"How _dare_ you? You threaten us, why? You have killed Jack-"

"Killed? Ha, how sad you try to trick me, guardian scum. I know Jack is not dead, but maybe we can arrange such?"

North shouted again, face an angry shade of crimson as he charged, sword raised. I scowled, but with a small smirk, I sidestepped easily, watching him fly past me like a blind, helpless, rat he is.

He whipped around, and aimed a blow at my chest with his weapon, swiping dangerously close to my armor. I chuckled; it was all too easy.

* * *

_Jack...wake up. Your fellow guardians need you. Wake up._

* * *

The winter harbinger stirred, a cool substance rubbing into his face. He heard distant sounds and clashes, shouts and words he could not comprehend. Where was his staff?

The baton lay out of his reach, sprawled several feet away from him. But...North's sword was by his left hand. Why was that there? Was North...?

Jack slowly squirmed around to look behind him, body aching from the strain. His obscure eyesight returning again. A dark individual was bouncing and twitching around the road along with a red square that had a white dot above it. There were several other colors trying to come into view behind them as well, one being a small, grey rectangle by a blue oval.

Jack groaned, remembering who was responsible for the loud noises and his condition.

Reaching for the sword, he did not think as he lifted it.

_Icicles this thing was heavy as hell! _Jack thought tersely trying to at least lift it above his head, preparing to strike the female demon, ghost, thing she was.

* * *

I struck him in the back, sending the fat spirit to the stony ground. He tried to stand up slowly, but I had a spear at his throat.

Wait. Something in the corner of my eye...

Miakoda.

He came to my side, knocking down an unfocused, swaying Jack to the ground, the weapon in his hand now clattering once again to the ground. He set his sharp talons onto his chest and began digging them in very slowly.

Jack yelped in pain, thought that was not the only reason; I had his friends at the mercy of my feet.

North growled, frustration and hatred blazing in his eyes like never before.

I had received that look many times before; if he thought that was going to make me crawl back into a hole for sanctuary then he was wrong; I was above them all, and a mere look of anger was not going to stop me, not now or ever.

Raising the spear to his face, I imagined a drawing of the tip embedded into his skull, his life draining like a broken pipe, no longer able to process the water or do its job.

I plunged it into his eye like a toothpick to a brownie, the black sand covering his head and body like a coffin.

* * *

_He was watching all of this shit happen?! How could he let this occur? What was going on?! _Bunny screamed mentally as he viewed in horror; black shadows swallowing North like a snake to its prey. What...this was impossible.

The Man in the Moon just stood by and watched.

* * *

The white sphere began to fade as a large cloud swayed over it, making light dim on the streets as the air began to feel bitterer than ever; a darkness was loitering and poisoning the air like a vapor of acid, eating the flesh off of beings and objects mindlessly, sucking hope and replacing it with fear instead.

Tonight, cars would lack frost on the windows, but not grey skies and the fright of oncoming storms.

* * *

The rising Santa dissolved into nothing, now being completely digested by the the colossal bulge of shadows engulfing the figure as a whole.

Something snapped in Tooth, Bunny, and Jack.

Jack struggled furiously under Miakoda, barely managing to escape and wriggle out form under him and his claws, screaming in shouts of curses and threats while running towards Moraina with his staff now summoned. Tooth's shrill cries were full of grief and much more than anger. Bunny shrugged off his injuries and all at once, they charged at her, weapons and fury driving them.

She had no escape.

Or so they assumed.

* * *

Wrath will always drive you off course. It will always blind you, make you lose your perception of reason, judgment of accuracy, and most importantly: thought process.

So this is why Vallari was able to jump onto a sailing Miakoda over everyone's heads, combined with her flying skills. She was about to take off when a golden strand looped around Miakoda's neck and yanked us upwards.

Oh...right, Goldilocks was here too.

Snarling, and landing off balance on a building, I was face-to-face with a very pissed-off sandman. Unlike Pitch, he didn't strike me as...something worth flinching for.

Once again, both of us dodged his crack of a whip to the left. I purposely tumbled off of Miakoda as he vanished under my own command; I could fight better without my obedient companion.

This was a little different.

Unlike the other "protectors", Sandman could project things, move faster, attack me from a mile away, and make more than one strike.

Luckily, he preferred not to. His weakness was outstanding to me; he didn't move his feet and relied too much on his weapons; never thought to make a gun or more than two whips to attack more aggressively, and his shade of weapons was so obvious that it was clear he never used stealth in attacks before.

Growling, I ducked and jumped over strand after strand of slashes there was. He soon got infuriated, and remaining where he was, he started spinning feverishly, creating...a sandstorm.

Bits and splinters of sharp, golden knives similar to my own went scattering, mostly aimed at me. He spun closer and closer to me, my body promptly avoiding the shards. One grazed my shoulder, but it only struck the armor.

My own livid shouts were projected upwards along with my my hands and arms. The black clouds swirled above me and picked up the little, golden man. He ceased rotating and looked confused for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. When he did, which by then he was halfway to the altitude I wanted him at, he seemed to have developed his own animal; a Bengal tiger was his choice when he came at me again, eyes clearly fixed on me.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

We were injured, our bodies weak from fighting and receiving the painful strikes of this demons' weapons' blades. Tooth was hardly breathing; she was a fighter like hell, but her own motivation was turned against her, the simple wall could have knocked her out for a month. I was currently losing my strength inch by inch with the wounds on my back; I wouldn't die, and neither would Jack or Tooth, but we could get pretty damn close if the situation came to that.

When we took on attacks that could kill us, we wouldn't pass, but would have to endure more rest than average human or non-guardian. A stabbing meant three weeks of sitting in your warren, recovering like crazy. A smash to the head meant three _months _in the warren. Not good at all.

So we were only allowed to watch as the girl on the dark creature sped towards our only hope: Sandman.

* * *

His eyes burned with loathing and lust for blood on his hands: my blood on his hands, if I had any.

Miakoda's fierce and sturdy muscles tensed as we zoomed to the light heading at us.

I raised my palm, a spiked ball forming faster than a rapid exhale, and as it hurled at the golden man, it burst into a shadow explosion in his face. I went around it and saw nothing. Where did that little-

I felt a weight dropping on my shoulders, followed by a snarl in my ear and a rough rope-like texture coiled around my neck.

Miakoda slammed his tail into the tiger and man above me, and the rope released, the weight gone upon his repeated hits.

I yanked him around and saw the shining sand figure swirling his hands to conjure up something as we backed away from each other. It was a shower of knives, axes, spears, and...arrows.

Huh.

They fell with deadly precision, and I waved them away with a gust of shadows; a mighty globe overwhelming the weapons. The sands departed, and the roaring tiger met my hissing Power of the Moon.

Sharp teeth dug into each of the throats and claws met dusty flesh. Miakoda slammed his tail into the tiger's stomach repeatedly, venom spitting everywhere, making clumps of gold fall into the brisk air, and talons from the wings dug into the Bengals' head as the flight stabilizers flapped furiously, staying airborne. Sandman aimed a punch at my face. I grabbed his fist and something emerged from deep inside of me while I pulled him closer.

I heard a bone-chilling screech that was like a banshee who wanted every living thing dead.

* * *

Her face became distorted, teeth now like a sabers', long and pointed for tearing human flesh apart, and eyes no longer consisting of pupils or irises, just a pitch black hole of revulsion and decay.

_She truly was not a human, but a cursed goddess... _Sandman thought with horror. Her skin grew to a grey color, rather than white, and her lips became frayed and cracked like a zombie. Her tongue was long and...pointed?! She shrieked in my face that sent my dusty veins churning with fear.

She looked like a monster when her putrid, stinging breath made me want to just drop from the air and forget everything.

* * *

I screamed into his face, and for a moment, his eyes glowered with trepidation as the wall of bravery crumbled. I saw my chance.

I let a long knife form in my hand, and stabbed his creature in the neck, dragging it in a cutting motion across the top, letting the fright sink in.

The Bengal released its grip and disintegrated, leaving a falling Sandman. He made a nest of sand to cushion himself, but I didn't even bother witnessing his descend.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, my strength was diminished greatly. Making that parasite North vanish for good took more concentration than ever. Fighting was not much of a struggle, but for long periods of time was tedious; planning every move and being perceptive of everyone's emotions and weaknesses was mentally draining as well. Miakoda alone took application to even have him around; but this was going to change.

North was gone. Forever.

I had done about half of what I thought they deserved...at least.

* * *

Author's Half-a-mo: Review, and if there are questions you have about any of the characters or their history, let loose. If you are confused as to anyone's motivations or thought-process, speak up. This story is meant to entertain you, not me. I know there is not a lot of thoughts coming from the guardians or Vallari nor Pitch, but with a fight scene, I like to just write it out because during a movie, you don't hear the thoughts; it would slow everything down and ruin the intensity, wouldn't it?

Jumbo Shrimps to my followers VVV

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